Silkworm Reading.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 49, 7 October 1884, Page 2

Silkworm Reading.

(By G. B. Fbm THB SILKWOBH (Bom • OT».) (Qndhtmed.,. The next step will be to t * grain, as the eggs of the silkworm are technically called. The greatest care is again re. quisit in obtaining the eggs of the best kind of worms ; for the difference in the market raloe of the cocoons reaches as much as 65 per cent. As in the case of the mulberry trees, only those which are the most profitable should be procured or disappointment will be encountered from the beginning. The eggs are kept on cards as deposited by the moths. In this way they are rery easily transported from place to place. Haying obtained a supply of grain, the next step is to batch ont the worms ; but this should not be attempted until the mulberry trees are well oat in leaf. The grain should be kept in a dty place where the temperature does not exceed 60 deg Fan., until the hatching is required to be done. In places where Jate frosts may be expected, the hatching should be retarded hntil all fear on that score has been removed. The time baring now arrived when everything is ready for the young worms tomake their appearance, the grain should be placed in • room, the temperature of which is to be gradually raised from 60deg. Fah., over a period of ten days or an incubator may be used with advantage. By the third day, the temperature has reached 90deg, all the worms will hare hatched oat. Some will appear on the first da/, the majority on the second, and again a smaller number on the third day ; any unhatched eggs remaining after that time will not be worth troubling about. The card* or grain should be kept open. The worms will make their appearance in the morning, and between 9 and 10 a.m. all the worms that have hatched should be removed. This is easily done by spreading some of the tenderest young mulberry leares orer the card containing the 'won&Pand eggs. In less than half an hour all the young worms will have crawled on to the leaves. They, must then be removed to a sheet of clean paper and laid on a tray (a description of which will be given further on). Any worms that may remain on the card of grain must be brushed off with the feather end of a quill on to those already on the tray, and fed. This must be done on each of three mornings. Each day's hatch must be kept separate. The temperature of the room in which the silkworms are placed should, if possible, be kept up nearly to 80deg Fah. for fire or six days, and then gradually reduced to between tiodeg and 70 lai? .